Binding for snowboard

ABSTRACT

A binding for a snowboard has: a base plate; a heal cup; a coupling tool for coupling the base plate and the heal cup through a member for hardness adjustment; a boot fixing band with one end attached to the one side of the heal cup; and a belt attached to the other side of the heal cup so as to be coupled with the band, wherein the member for hardness adjustment is replaceable by another member with different hardness.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] This invention relates to a binding for a snowboard (hereinafter referred to as a snowboard binding), and more particularly to a snowboard binding whose hardness can be adjusted.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] The snowboard binding is previously known JP-A-11-226171 (pages 1 to 3, FIG. 1).

[0005]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a conventional binding for a snowboard. Reference numeral 1 denotes a base plate attached to a snowboard body (not shown); 2 a heal cup attached to the rear of the base plate through a screw 3; 4 a high-back coupled with the heal cup so as to be opposite to the rear of boots; 5 an adjustor for adjusting the degree of forward-bending for the heal cup; 6 a boot ankle fixing band whose one end is coupled with the one side of the heal cup 2 to tighten the instep of the boot; 7 a buckle whose one end is attached to the other end of the band 6; 8 a tightening belt whose base is fixed to the other end of the heal cup 2 so that it is inserted into the buckle 7 for band tightening; 9 a boot tiptoe fixing band attached to the base plate to tighten the tiptoe of the boot; and 10 a band tightening buckle.

[0006] In such a conventional binding for a snowboard, when the boot is mounted on the base plate 1, after the boot ankle fixing band 6 and the tightening belt 8 have been separated from each other, with the boot placed on the base plate 1 from above and the belt 8 inserted into the buckle 7, the buckle 7 is tightened so that the inset of the boot is fixed to the base plate 1. Likewise, the tiptoe portion of the boot is fixed.

[0007] However, in the conventional snowboard binding, it is difficult for a user to sense exactly in front of a shop the feeling (hard or soft) when the tightening tools are used. In addition, if the user does not actually use the snowboard binding, in many points, he or she can first know his favorite hardness after a certain extent of experience. The snowboard binding is not so inexpensive. Therefore, if he or she first buys his non-favorite binding, he is obliged to use it with tolerance for the time being. Further, according to the contents of sliding, there is a case where the binding with a different hardness is preferably used. It is difficult to satisfy for a single binding such a requirement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] This invention intends to provides a snowboard binding suited for such an object.

[0009] A binding for a snowboard according to this invention is that a binding for a snowboard including: a base plate; a heal cup; a coupling tool for coupling the base plate and the heal cup through a member for hardness adjustment; a boot fixing band with one end attached to the one side of the heal cup; and a belt attached to the other side of the heal cup so as to be coupled with the band, wherein the member for hardness adjustment is replaceable by another member with different hardness.

[0010] The binding for a snowboard according to this invention is wherein the member for hardness adjustment is detachably coupled with either one of the base plate and the heal cup, and the coupling tool is a tightening tool of coupling the base plate and the heal cup through the member for hardness adjustment.

[0011] The binding for a snowboard according to this invention is wherein the member for hardness adjustment is inserted in a through-hole formed in one of the base plate and the heal cup.

[0012] The binding for a snowboard according to this invention is wherein the through-hole is one of a plurality of through-holes.

[0013] The binding for a snowboard according to this invention is wherein that the through-hole is a slender hole.

[0014] The binding for a snowboard according to this invention is wherein the tightening tool is one of a plurality of tightening tools.

[0015] The binding for a snowboard according to this invention is wherein the coupling tool is a screw which passes through the member for hardness adjustment and threadedly-engaged with the other of the base plate and the heal cup

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016]FIG. 1 is a side view of the main part of a snowboard binding according to this invention;

[0017]FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional plan view of the main part of the snowboard binding according to this invention;

[0018]FIG. 3 is a side view of the main part of a snowboard binding according to another embodiment of this invention;

[0019]FIG. 4 is a side view of the main part of a snowboard binding according to still another embodiment of this invention;

[0020]FIG. 5 is a side view of the main part of a snowboard binding according to yet another embodiment of this invention;

[0021]FIG. 6 is a side view of the main part of a snowboard binding according to a further embodiment of this invention;

[0022]FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional side view of FIG. 6; and

[0023]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a conventional snowboard binding.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0024] Now referring to the drawings, an explanation will be given of an embodiment of this invention.

[0025] In this invention, like reference symbols refer to like portions in FIG. 8.

[0026] In this invention, as seen from FIGS. 1 and 2, a through-hole 11 having a large diameter is provided at the rear of an upstanding portion 1 a of each of both sides of the base plate 1. A groove 12 is formed on the outer periphery of the front side of the through-hole 11. A bushing 14 for hardness adjustment having a flange in mesh with the groove 12 is fit in the through-hole 11. A screw 3 is thread-engaged with a screw hole of the heal cup 2 through a screw through-hole 13 formed in the bushing 14 for hardness adjustment. Thus, the heal cup 2 is fixed to the base plate 1.

[0027] The bushing 14 for harness adjustment may be an elastic body such as nylon, polyester, elastomer, urethane, rubber, etc.

[0028] In the snowboard binding according to this invention having the configuration as described above, when force from the ankle of a player is applied to the heal cup 2 through the band 6, the bushing 14 for hardness adjustment is deformed so that the hardness of the bushing 14 represents that of the heal cup 2. Therefore, if the bushing 14 for hardness adjustment having various degrees of hardness previously prepared is selectively used, the hardness of the heal cup 2 can be adjusted in a wide range.

[0029] Additionally, another arrangement as shown in FIG. 3 may be adopted. Specifically, a plurality of through-holes 11 each having a large diameter which is the same as shown in FIG. 2 are provided at the rear of the upstanding portion 1 a of the base plate 1. The bushings for hardness adjustment which is the same as shown in FIG. 2 are fixedly fit in the through-holes 14, respectively. The heal cup 2 is fixed to the base plate 1 using screws 3 through the plurality of bushings 14 for hardness adjustment.

[0030] Further, still another arrangement as shown in FIG. 4 may be adopted. Specifically, a slender through-hole 15 which extends in a longitudinal direction is provided at the rear of the upstanding portion 1 a of the base plate 1. A groove (not shown) is formed on the outer periphery of the front side of the through-hole 11. A bushing 16 for hardness adjustment having a flange in mesh with the groove is fit in the through-hole 15. The heal cup 2 is fixed to the base plate 1 using screws 3 through the bushing 16 for hardness adjustment.

[0031] Further, a further arrangement as shown in FIG. 5 may be adopted. Specifically, a step portion 17 having a smaller diameter is formed in the intermediate portion in an axial direction of the through-hole 11. The bushing 14 for hardness adjustment is formed to have a short length so that its tip abuts on the step portion 17. A space 18 is formed between the heal cup 2 and the bushing 14 for hardness adjustment so that the screw 3 can move freely.

[0032]FIGS. 6 and 7 show another embodiment of this invention.

[0033] In this embodiment, the through-hole 11 is formed as a long groove-equipped hole 19 which extends vertically. A flange-equipped bushing 20 which also extends vertically is formed to be in mesh with the long hole 19. The flange-equipped bushing is fit in the long hole 19. Thus, the heal cup 2 is fixed to the base plate 1 using a single screw 3 inserted into the bushing 20.

[0034] In this embodiment, the bushing 20 for hardness adjustment can be deformed also in the direction of the long hole 19.

[0035] The snowboard binding according to this invention which has the configuration as described above provides the following advantage. Specifically, after a user has bought a snowboard binding, he can adjust the hardness of the heal cup in two or more degrees. Therefore, the user needs not be nervous in buying the snowboard binding and can adjust the feeling of the binding according to his preference and sliding contents. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A binding for a snowboard comprising: a base plate; a heal cup; a coupling tool for coupling the base plate and the heal cup through a member for hardness adjustment; a boot fixing band with one end attached to the one side of the heal cup; and a belt attached to the other side of the heal cup so as to be coupled with the band, wherein the member for hardness adjustment is replaceable by another member with different hardness.
 2. A binding for a snowboard according to claim 1, wherein the member for hardness adjustment is detachably coupled with either one of the base plate and the heal cup, and the coupling tool is a tightening tool of coupling the base plate and the heal cup through the member for hardness adjustment.
 3. A binding for a snowboard according to claim 1, wherein the member for hardness adjustment is inserted in a through-hole formed in one of the base plate and the heal cup.
 4. A binding for a snowboard according to claim 2, wherein the member for hardness adjustment is inserted in a through-hole formed in one of the base plate and the heal cup.
 5. A binding for a snowboard according to claim 3, wherein the through-hole is one of a plurality of through-holes.
 6. A binding for a snowboard according to claim 4, wherein, the through-hole is one of a plurality of through-holes.
 7. A binding for a snowboard according to claim 3 wherein that the through-hole is a slender hole.
 8. A binding for a snowboard according to claim 4, wherein that the through-hole is a slender hole.
 9. A binding for a snowboard according to claim 5, wherein that the through-hole is a slender hole.
 10. A binding for a snowboard according to claim 12, wherein that the through-hole is a slender hole.
 11. A binding for a snowboard according to claim 3, wherein the tightening tool is one of a plurality of tightening tools.
 12. A binding for a snowboard according to claim 10, wherein the tightening tool is one of a plurality of tightening tools.
 13. A binding for a snowboard according to claim 1, wherein the coupling tool is a screw which passes through the member for hardness adjustment and threadedly-engaged with the other of the base plate and the heal cup.
 14. A binding for a snowboard according to claim 12, wherein the coupling tool is a screw which passes through the member for hardness adjustment and threadedly-engaged with the other of the base plate and the heal cup. 